Miscalculation
by Tsuyurin
Summary: Timer!AU: I remember the day the clock turned to zero. But it was a mistake – a miscalculation. His clock was still ticking; he's my soulmate, but I'm not his. Fem!Kuroko. Warning for OOCness, cover image is not mine [Now a three-shot]
1. Miscalculation

_Disclaimer! This is a work of fiction and all rights of Kuroko no Basuke belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. Any medication/medical procedures performed in this one-shot is obviously fake. Also, I was inspired by another Timer!AU, but I can't remember from which website. Please know that I have not stolen their work, and this has come from my own imagination._

 _There will be two points of view and four parts; either set in Kuroko's or a third person's point of view._

 _Warnings: OOC characterization, Fem!Kuroko, not much mention of basketball in general_

 _P.S: Everyone is currently 21 years of age in this one-shot_

 _I'm not sure about the rating, if you think it needs to be changed, please tell me._

* * *

 **MISCALCULATION**

PART I [Kuroko's POV]

I stacked one last box, making sure it was sealed shut before lifting them up. The three boxes towered over my petite height, but it was nothing that I couldn't manage. I hurried out of my room, heading outside and stopping to make my way carefully down the stairs. A few men stood around the back of an open truck, waiting patiently for me as I handed the cardboard boxes to one of them. I thanked them as they all climbed into the front of the truck and started the engine.

As I waved them off, I couldn't help but sigh in relief that all the packing was over and done with. Heading back up to my shared apartment, I hesitated from a few steps away. I could already feel Momoi's menacing aura from where I stood.

As I rounded the corner to the hallway of our – now just Momoi's – apartment, I flinched at the glare she gave me.

"Y-Yes? Satsuki?" I looked down toward the ground, fidgeting with my fingers.

She stood there is a white blouse and pencil skirt – ready for work. Her arms were crossed, emphasising her already well-endowed assets. She glared down at me, making me want to curl into a ball. "You!" she jabbed a finger at me, "You haven't told him yet! You're leaving _tonight_!"

I blinked, knowing she was completely and utterly right. I just didn't know how he'd take it… if I'd told him I was leaving for overseas.

I inwardly sighed, "Okay, I'll call him now to meet up with him…"

Momoi nodded her head all knowingly, "Good, good. Make sure he actually knows why you're going. You've known him for 5 years; don't keep him in the dark. He's your 'light' after all." Her voice wavered at the end.

I merely blinked, recalling the way that Momoi had reacted when she'd found why I was leaving. Luckily I'd managed to make her promise to keep it a secret. The only others who knew were my parents, Aomine – who was the peach-haired girl's soulmate, and Akashi – who'd figured it out straight away. It was true, I was 21 now, and 5 years ago I'd met Kagami.

He was wild, loud, and passionate as a teenager. Almost too much for me to handle, but I'd never minded once after we'd become fast friends. Especially through basketball.

My best friend broke me from my thoughts as she threw herself upon me, squeezing me so tight I almost couldn't breathe. "I-I…" she sobbed, ruining her makeup, "I'm going to miss you so much. But you're strong. You'll make it; I'm sure. I'll meet you in America one day. With everyone else!"

I awkwardly patted her back, knowing she was trying desperately hard not to break down too much. To remain positive for me. We stayed this way for almost half an hour before she calmed down. I quickly helped her re-do her monstrosity of makeup and sent her away before she was late to her job.

I sat on the couch and withdrew out a gum-like package from my pocket, taking out a strip from its contents and placing it in my mouth. I sat there for a while, maybe even for an hour before I finally picked up my phone. I pulled up my sleeve, revealing the clock imprinted on the middle of my forearm.

 _00000D.00H.00M.00S_

Forcefully shoving my sleeve back down, I unlocked my phone and dialled Kagami's number. It rung for only mere moments before the man picked up.

"Testumi? What's up?" his static voice spoke through the speaker. It sounded as though he'd just woken up; which I was probably right about as he didn't have university today.

"I was thinking we could meet at Maji Burger in, say…" I checked the clock, "20 minutes?"

"Hmm? Okay, yeah sure. See you." He sounded a little confused at the sudden request. But then again we hadn't seen each other for over a week due to me being busy packing and cleaning.

Although it wasn't rude at all and I didn't mind, Momoi had politely asked if I could clear all of my stuff out when she'd first heard I was moving – before she knew the details. It was so that Aomine could move in without any extra hassle. I was, of course, happy to comply.

Leaving the house, I brought my keys with me, knowing I'd be heading back one last time after meeting up with Kagami before going to the airport. Walking down the familiar streets, the large sign of the fast-food joint appeared in my line of vision, and I quickened my pace a little. My breath quickened along with my pace, my stamina having dropped by a lot from the lack of basketball after high school.

Arriving at the diner, I headed in to see Kagami already there, having saved a table for us and ordered my precious vanilla milkshake. I slipped into the seat across from him and gave a small smile.

"Hey." I began casually.

"Tetsu. He nodded his head in return, and then taking a large bite from his burger. He still had a bottomless pit, but at least his eating habits had become more refined with his age. "How've you been?"

"I've been well. And you?" I spoke vaguely, trying to find the right time to tell him.

"It's been great. And this season at Tokyo uni…" he slipped off into a ramble, talking about his university courses, and how basketball was going, especially that he and Aomine were still on-going rivals. Not to mention the other Miracles too.

We changed topics various times, talking about whatever just to catch up on the times we missed together. But to no avail, I still didn't have to heart to tell him of my leave.

"So, how's your clock ticking?" he spoke.

I smiled lightly, "It's still going. There's still a few years left." I lied. I never showed anyone my clock, wearing a simple sweatband over it during my school days, and sticking to long-sleeved garments no matter the weather. "Have you checked yours recently?"

He nodded, pulling up his sleeve, "Yeah, I'm still-" Kagami stopped short.

I cocked my head to the side, "Taiga? What's the matter?"

The split-browed boy almost punched me in the face as he hurriedly showed me his clock. He began to get fidgety, tapping his foot in an annoying manner.

 _00000D.00H.03M.07S_

Internally, my heart broke into two, but on the outside, I softly smiled, "Well isn't it great I called you out today?" I joked.

"W-What do I do?" he began to blush, "Do I look okay?"

I tried not to roll my eyes, keeping my usual passive expression. "You look fine."

He stood up anyway, murmuring something about going to the bathroom and leaving me alone for a minute or two. I turned my head to look outside – it'd begun drizzling. I waited there patiently – I was happy for him. After 21 years, he'd finally meet the one and only in his life.

The doors the Maji Burger slid open after censoring someone on their way in. It was a girl of average height, she was pretty, I'd admit. She was someone who'd definitely suit Kagami well, and I knew that they were destined to be together. I began to stand up, hearing footsteps coming toward me from behind.

I watched as my best friend and the girl made eye contact – and right on the dot most probably. They walked toward each other, mesmerised as I stood on the sidelines and let my heart be taken away from me.

"Hi… I'm Kaigawa Chiiyuki."

She even had a pretty name.

"K-Kagami Taiga."

They stared at each other for eternity before Kagami snapped from his daze. He looked around, spotting me and waving me over, and I was surprised he even remembered I was there.

"This is Kuroko Tetsumi. She's the one who got me to come here today…" he trailed off.

Kaigawa smiled brightly and bowed, "Thanks so much… for bringing us together."

I waved my hand nonchalantly, already taking small steps toward the exit. "No worries. You guys should stay and get to know each other. I have to be somewhere soon anyway." I looked at Kagami, "It was nice to catch up again."

He nodded, "See you some other time. Thanks."

I bade goodbye and brushed past his soulmate as I went. _**"Take care of him. Please."**_ I whispered quietly.

Inside my heart was exploding. Inside, my heart was telling me to go back; and tell him about my clock. Inside… my body screamed at me for doing all the wrong things. For letting Kagami go. But at the same time, I felt it was only fair. Life was always unjust.

As I left the building, the weather held no sympathy for my troubles, the sky opening up and pouring down with rain. I wrapped my drenched sweater tighter around me, grateful I'd left a spare change of clothes out for my flight. Walking down the familiar path back to Momoi's apartment, I realised that I'd never managed to tell him I was leaving. For good.

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* * *

PART II [Kuroko's POV]

 _It was a sunny, bright morning; a perfect spring start to the new school year. I was excited, not only was I starting fresh – away from the Miracles and their overwhelming egos – but also because my clock was finally down to its last hours. I'd barely slept the night before._

00000D.02H.18M.56S

 _I'd felt nervous, maybe it was because I was still so young. But in mere hours, I'd meet my other half, an amazing feat, as my own parents hadn't met until their mid-twenties. I got ready and had made my way to school in a daze. Walking through the front gates and weaving through all the students at Seirin High. Absentmindedly, I signed up for a manager's position in the basketball club, probably as something in the back of my mind was nagging me to do so._

 _I could barely remember anything that happened during the opening ceremony. It was getting to class I was worried about. I was overly conscious of the time ticking down on my arm. The hairs on my body stood up and my senses felt as though they were on overdrive._

 _My eyes kept darting to the door and back, wondering when my soulmate would arrive. The people who were already loitering around the classroom simply ignored me, already forming friendship groups as I sat in the corner in anticipation. Subtly, I lifted my sleeve to check how much time was left._

 _My eyes widening, I pulled the sleeve back down and calmed my frantic heart._

 _5…_

 _4…_

 _3…_

 _2…_

 _The door slid open, revealing a boy of a tall stature. He looked straight at me, eyebrows furrowed._

0

 _I kept on staring at him as he made his way over. He split eyebrows intrigued me already, and his multi-toned hair suited him extremely well. His whole look was very befitting._

 _When he was steps away, I opened my mouth to speak, feeling unusually confident for once, "Um, hello…"_

 _His eyes widened for a split second as he took a defensive stance and stepped back, "GAH!" he cried out, finally noticing my presence. A moment later he relaxed, "Whoa, sorry I didn't notice you there."_

 _The boy didn't say anything else but instead, took off his blazer and slipped into the seat in front of mine._

 _There was a moment of silence before he suddenly turned around, a small blush adorning his cheeks. "I'm Kagami Taiga, sorry about before."_

'This is it.' _I'd thought,_ 'This is the moment.' _He stuck out his hand, gesturing for me to shake it. I reached mine out to meet his, but caught sight of something on his arm. It was his clock; still lively and ticking. I tried not to let my disappointment show. But it had to be him, as no one else had caught my eye at the same time, and no one had walked into the room with the boy._

" _Kuroko. Kuroko Tetsumi." I introduced. Deep down, I knew I was already hurting. But I pushed the feeling away. I must have been a mistake; maybe I was yet to meet the real 'guy'. They just miscalculated it all._

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* * *

PART III [Third POV]

He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but he was surprised when Kuroko had suddenly called. Her usual monotone had an under layer of sorrow underneath it. When she'd called him, she'd acted as if they hadn't seen each other forever, or that it was going to be their last time to meet. Although having just woken up, he took the fastest shower possible and made it to Maji burger in record time.

But that was _three months_ ago.

And he hadn't heard from her since. He'd spoken to Aomine and Momoi – the people closest to her in the Miracles. They just shook their heads sadly and said nothing. He then went as far as to ask Akashi – because he knew everything.

All he got was the same reply.

He was definitely worried, and even Kaigawa was concerned – as she was hoping to once again meet with the girl that had fatefully brought them together. But it was like Kuroko had just disappeared off the face of the Earth, pulling one of her famous vanishing tricks; only to never return.

He and his soulmate were walking casually hand-in-hand around the park. Somehow, Kuroko had managed to worm her way into the conversation again. Everyone was genuinely worried about her after all. "But she never said good bye. I guess that's what's making me mad the most."

"Maybe she found her own mate?" Kaigawa suggested thoughtfully. She tucked and auburn stand of hair behind her ear.

Kagami nodded, "She did say hers was still ticking the day I last saw her. She didn't talk about it much." He paused, reminiscing, "I don't even remember if I've ever actually seen her clock."

The couple fell silent, continuing their walk. They quietly enjoyed each other company for the next few minutes, relishing the good weather until they came upon the basketball court. The one that he and Kuroko would practice at. The two had stopped walking, watching the younger children play.

"Eh? Taiga?" a deep, rumbling voice sounded.

"And Chiiyuki-san." a feminine tone spoke, surprise coating the sweet voice.

The pair looked over to see Aomine and Momoi stood side by side; the latter holding an almost finished ice cream and the tanned man drinking from a can of soda. They made their way over, stopping before the two other soulmates.

"How have you both been?" the peach-haired girl asked. She was wearing a casual dress with a grey bolero around her shoulders, as it was beginning to get chilly. After Kuroko's mysterious departure, they'd all somehow grown apart little by little; Aomine and Kagami only seeing each other once or twice for a few basketball games with some other Miracles and their friends.

"We've been well!" Kaigawa said cheerily, "And you?"

"Fine, fine~." Momoi seemed to wave her hand carelessly, more interested in the blossoming relationship of the two standing before her. She hadn't seen both of them together yet, so it was a great chance to ask for details. "So, what was it like meeting each other for the first time?" her eyes shined with curiosity.

They looked at one another, then turned away with light blushes coating their cheeks. "Erm, wouldn't you already know? Aomine-san is your own soulmate, isn't he?" Kaigawa asked, avoiding the question.

Momoi let out a chiming laugh, gesturing for the girl to sit down on the bench, as their boyfriends had gotten into a heated argument before walking off to play some ball. "Well, I don't remember what it was like; I met Aomine when I was three. I can barely even recall my clock ticking." She held out her arm to emphasise her blank timer.

"Ahh…" the girl mused, placing a hand across her own. She frowned slightly, the expression marring her pretty features, "Say, what was Kuroko-san like? Kagami talks about her a lot. I just…"

"Feel a little jealous?" the busty girl finished. By the look on the other girl's face, she knew she was right. "It's okay! I felt that way back in Teiko; Dai-chan and Tetsumi were really close. Even though I knew Dai-chan wouldn't leave me, I couldn't help but feel as though Tetsumi had taken my place. So with her going to Seirin along with Taiga, they grew very close. I guess Tetsumi just has an appealing aura about her; everyone wants to be her friend."

Kaigawa nodded seriously, "She must have been such an enigma in your lives." She sighed softly, "I know there's something you won't tell him. But please, don't leave me out of this too. If anything, may I have her address? I just wanted to say thank you."

Tears prickled at Momoi's eyes at how genuine the other girl was. She sniffled and hesitated with her words. "L-look, I'm really sorry." She whispered, her bangs shading her eyes. "But I can't tell you anything… I mean, I promised and I-"

She immediately cut herself off, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Satsuki-san?"

"Sorry, I've said too much." The girl looked away.

"No…" Kaigawa shook her head, "please, tell me if you know something. After that first day I met Kagami, he's been somewhat lost when Kuroko-san never picked up her phone."

The other smiled lightly, as if remembering something important, "I guess it was to be expected. They were almost each other's other halves in their first year of high school."

"Eh?"

"Not soulmate-wise, of course. But rather, they were just there for each other through thick and thin – best friends."

"OI! Satsuki!" Aomine ran over, tugging gently on her arm, "We gotta go, there's only another five minutes and we'll be late!" the boy was unusually uncharacteristic. He must've felt Akashi's imaginative condescending stare.

Momoi hurriedly stood up and brushed herself off, bowing deeply and muttering yet another apology. The two hurried away, Kagami making his way back to Kaigawa with his hands buried in his pockets. He looked confused.

"Do you know what that was about?" he asked.

The girl shook her head no. In return, the boy sat down on the bench next to her, raking his hands through his hair.

' _Kuroko…'_

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* * *

PART IV [Kuroko's POV]

It was extremely quiet, and also a little lonely. Six months had passed, a repeat of the same day over and over. It had been a long time since I'd spoken to my old friends, and the thick American accents all around left me an outsider – or more than I already was. Secretly, I was glad that Momoi, Aomine and Akashi had stayed true to their words – I didn't want everyone to see me as weak… or weaker than I already was.

A simple knock at the door startled me from my thoughts. Looking over to the entrance, a familiar man stood there in a white coat.

"Dr. Jacobs." I greeted, in a broken English accent.

"Tetsumi. It's time to get you prepared. Are you ready?" he walked over and placed the clipboard in his hands down onto the table beside my bed. With a small affirmative nod, he called in the other nurses and doctors. They all helped pull me up onto another bed, leading me out of the room and toward the back bay of the hospital.

Time seemed to drag on as the slowly made their way through all the hallways and corridors; some empty and some with people loitering around. A nurse kept talking to me, asking questions about random things and I answered them to the best of my ability.

"Okay Tetsumi, we're reaching the surgery room, so we're going to put you under anaesthetics now." The nurse told me. I nodded once again, and a mask was placed over my mouth and nose as she began to count down. "Everybody, she'll be out in 5… 4… 3….. 2…."

 **...**

 _[TEIKO DAYS: END OF THIRD YEAR]_

" _I'm sorry to have called you out today. I know you had an important match to attend."_

 _I shook my head, "No, it's okay. Momoi will be there in my stead. I'm merely the sub-coach… not a player." The lie slipped through my teeth. It really wasn't okay; Aomine had long ago let our friendship fade, everyone had become so self-centred that they probably wouldn't even realise I was missing from the game._

 _Nonetheless, even without my help, they'd still win. They had long ago stopped needing any of my coaching tips._

" _So, Waka-sensei…" I paused, drawing a small breath, "why have you asked me to come out today?"_

 _He cleared his throat, immediately getting to business. "So I've run some tests with the information I was given, and unfortunately..." he trailed off._

 _I blinked owlishly – this was going to be bad news._

 _The doctor took a few moments to decide how he wanted to word it and tell me in a gentle way. But for some reason, my patience for the day had run thin. "Just tell me." I tried to make my tone none too forceful._

 _The older man sighed, "Kuroko-san, you've been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis… or MS for short. You're still young, but in a few years' time, your body won't be able to function by itself anymore due to rapid deterioration in your nerve cells. For now, we can slow down that process with medication… but at the moment, there's no cure."_

 _I let the words sink in, and to his surprise, remained quite calm. "How long will I last if I don't take this medication?" I questioned._

" _At most, probably two years. If you do take the meds though, you might have a maximum of six, depending on how well your body responds to it."_

"… _Okay."_

 ** _..._**

 _[SEIRIN DAYS: AFTER THE WINTER CUP]_

" _Akashi-san."_

" _Kuroko."_

" _Why did you call me here?" I cocked my head to the side._

 _He had his arms crossed, and his posture straight in a sad attempt to make himself appear much taller than me. I would never tell him that it barely made a difference though. We stared at each other for a good amount of time. It was unnerving._

" _That day back in Teiko, in the finals. Why weren't you there?" he asked – though the undertone was more like a demand._

 _I sighed, knowing nothing would get past him, "I was visiting the hospital."_

" _And whatever for?"_

" _Because Akashi-san, I've been diagnosed with MS."_

" _Hnnn."_

 _I pressed my palms together and bowed deeply, "Please…. don't tell anyone about this."_

 ** _..._**

 _[SEIRIN GRADUATION DAY]_

 _~*RING*~ ~*RING*~_

" _Hello?"_

" _Hi! Tetsumi, is it? I'm Doctor Simon Jacobs from America… I'm sorry to speak in English, but I hope you understand."_

" _Yes?" I switched to his native language, picking up key words and phrases of what he was saying before piecing them together, "May I ask why you called?"_

" _Ah, that's right. I'm conducting research on MS… and I've reached a conclusion for a possible cure through surgery. Of course, the machinery won't be ready from maybe another three years. But I'd heard about you from my partner in Tokyo Central Hospital. Are you willing to give it a try? From what I've gathered… this has a possibility of a 65% success rate."_

 _In my mind, I contemplated the idea, "How much would this operation cost?"_

" _As the first patient… free of charge. I'm afraid that since it'll be the first attempt through surgery that it may fail with other… consequences. But I also forgot to ask… have you met your soulmate? Or rather, has your clock reached zero yet?"_

 _I touch my arm absentmindedly. From the thought of it, there really wasn't much to lose. And my clock had reached zero, but it was just a miscalculation. "Okay, I'm willing to try. And yes. My timer is at zero." I nodded although he couldn't see._

" _Really? Thank you very much! I'll e-mail all the documents to Waka, so you can grab them off him."_

" _Sure, thank you."_

" _No, thank_ you _. I'll keep checking up on you every so often until the time comes for you to fly over here to America."_

 ** _..._**

 _[AGE 20]_

" _Tetsumi! What is this?!"_

 _I looked up at what Momoi was holding; it was a letter that had already been ripped open. I felt myself paling. "Ummm."_

" _H-How come you never told me about this?!"_

…

" _I'm sorry, Satsuki. But I'll have to ask you to keep this a secret. From everyone."_

" _As much as I'm against this… okay. I'll keep it a secret. But not from Dai-chan."_

 _I huffed, "Fine, but only him."_

 _A tear trailed down her cheek, "I can't believe it… surgery to cure MS by turning back your soulmate clock? That's impossible. You haven't even…" she gasped, "Or have you been lying? Who is your soulmate anyway?"_

" _Satsuki! Please, I can explain!"_

 _The peach-haired sat down on the couch almost immediately, crossing her arms and looking impatient. "I don't have all day." Her features were struck in disbelief._

 _I sat down beside her, wondering how to put the explanation into words. I contemplated speaking some gibberish, and telling her that the surgery would be a definite success. But I really couldn't lie to her; after everything she'd helped me through. And of all things… after 5 years, only I was the one who still knew of my soulmate problem. Taking a deep breath, I decided to tell her about the surgery first. "Well, our clock is considered to be part of us… it's our 'Soul-Timer' after all. The doctors are saying that if they can reverse it, then my body changes back to what it was like before the MS. Added on with medication and a proper recovery, there's a chance that it won't come back afterward."_

" _Huh? Is that even possible?" she sounded incredulous._

" _I don't k– Ugh…!"_

 ** _..._**

 ***** _ **Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep**_ *****

"Doctor! We're losing her!" a nurse called out frantically, "There's not enough oxygen getting to her brain now; it can't cope with her timer suddenly experiencing rapid changes!"

"Get an ECMO in here, pronto! We have to keep her alive!" things were beginning to go from smooth to frantic.

"If the operation fails we'll be back to square one!" Doctor Jacobs then turned to the person lying on the operating table solemnly, "And this girl would be giving up an unfulfilling life. She's still got a lot ahead of her."

 _._

 _[SEIRIN DAYS: FIRST YEAR]_

 _The two of us were walking side by side – Kagami was busily recalling all of the moments during our match against Yosen. I could barely pay attention to his words, I was too focused on making each step. Left, right, left, right... maybe the medication was not working after all? I breathed heavily as Kagami continued his face-paced strides, a grin on his face when he began to talk about how he managed to get back into the zone again and face off against Murasakibara._

" _Kagami-kun… you and I, we'll always be friends, right?" I interrupted, carefully looking up at the towering American._

 _He ruffled my sky blue hair and grinned widely, "Of course! We'll never forget each other, yeah?"_

 _I smiled back, "I promise! Not until we've grown old and frail, and can't remember a thing!" I spoke seriously. Even though he may not know that he was my other half – this friendship would be enough for me. I was his shadow – and he was my light._

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The surgeons and everyone else in the room breathed heavily, watching as the timer slowly faded away from where it would usually be imprinted the young girl's arm, "We… we've failed."

' _Taiga… I'm sorry.'_

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* * *

 _Done! Please let me know what you all think. I might also continue this and make it into a short story if you enjoyed it. This story has been filed away for a few months now... I practically forgot about it (T_T|l) ehehe_


	2. Countdown

_Kuroko no Basuke does not belong to me in any way, shape or form. Also, the hospital mentioned – I made it up. I'm not American either so I'm sorry if a few of the details are wrong… yeahh XD_

 _Here is the continuation since everyone who reviewed asked! And I'm so grateful for your support! It means a lot!_

 _I hope you enjoy part two; this chapter is written in Third Person POV only and takes place after around a two and a half year time-skip (as her surgery was 6 months into her time in America)._

 _Again, please note that this is a work of fiction._

 _Warning for OOCness._

* * *

 **COUNTDOWN**

PART V

"Excuse me, Miss? Sorry to interrupt, but it's time for you to return to your room. It's nearing ten o'clock, so we need to have lights out."

The woman sitting on the couch softly snapped a book shut, standing up to face the nurse. "Ah, it's no worries. I must've lost track of time again…" She frowned slightly at her own words, but brushed past anyway after bowing politely. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." The nurse smiled back.

As the young woman walked away, she glanced at the book she held in her hands; a diary of some sort that a man named Dr Jacobs had given to her. The author seemed to live a painful life and shared their story on the pages of the worn notebook. Deep within, she felt horrible for reading into someone's personal life… but at the same time, Dr Jacobs had insisted upon her to read it – that the author of the diary no longer existed.

She was also jealous, however, that this person had managed to write down all their thoughts, feelings and experiences, so that they'd never forget. A part of he wished she'd done the same thing herself. To capture her memories on the page of a blank book and remember them until she grew old and frail. Just like the person had promised their friend to never forget each other in the diary. Secretly, she personally hoped they did get together in the end… they would've made a lovely couple.

At this point in time, the woman had made it to her room, swiftly taking the tablets that had been sitting innocently on the bedside table, along with the water that'd been provided. Safely placing the diary on the table where the pills had been, she promised to read the rest of it tomorrow, before tucking herself into the bed. She felt rather tired by now, having spent the day collecting her thoughts and reading another person's diary.

She hoped that one day, she would be able to return the notebook to someone that was mentioned inside, as they'd surely appreciate it. The only downfall was that there were no actual names written within.

Sighing, the woman let her vision blur and closed her eyes.

 _ **.**_

" _My orders are absolute. You will call me as soon as the operation is complete. And I expect a full report on your recovery." Red eyes steadily head her gaze._

" _I can't guarantee there'll be a call for you. It might fail."_

" _Impossible. The phantom will always come back."_

" _Oi, even though you're leaving it doesn't mean you can't keep us updated from time to time right?" There was a flash of navy blue hair in her vision, but it disappeared as quickly as it came._

" _I'm sorry, I can't take the risk of the others finding out. Especially…"_

" _Yeah, yeah. I get ya. He's gonna miss you, y'know? Wonder where you've gone and stuff."_

" _It'll be fine. I'm sure that he'll meet his soulmate one day. He won't need me by his side anymore after that."_

" _Don't belittle yourself like that, Tetsu."_

 _A female voice jumped in vehemently, "That's right! Tet-chan, I know how hard this is for you, but everyone else is affected by this too."_

" _I don't believe you…"_

" _Eh?"_

 _The anger built up, "You can't say that you know how hard this is for me. Do you know what it feels like to slowly lose your ability to walk, o-or to take over ten minutes to get out of bed? Do you know how horribly embarrassing it will be for me to be spoon fed? I'm an adult, not a baby… Y-You, you're all able to play basketball like the old times, a-and –"_

" _Calm down! It'll be fine! You're going to go get your surgery, come back, and it'll be like you never left."_

" _Exactly, none of us will forget."_

" _ **Forget?"**_

 _ **.**_

White walls, white sheets, white tiles… everything was white. Why? Blinking multiple times, her hazy vision slowly cleared and she took a deep breath, her nostrils filling with disinfectant. Eyes snapping open, she took another breath as her heart rate quickened. It was all so unfamiliar, why wasn't she in her bedroom? She blinked again.

Her… bedroom? She had no idea of what her bedroom even looked like. "Oh my goodness." She scrambled to sit up properly, further tangling herself in the blankets. "Oh my goodness." She repeated. Carefully placing her hand against her forehead, she looked around cautiously.

"Miss Kuroko. How are you this morning?" A tall man stepped into the room, dressed in a white coat. Her mind quickly wrapped around the situation, assuming that there must've been an accident of some sort.

"F-Fine I suppose. But it's all blank. There's nothing there – my mind is empty…" Inhaling deeply, the girl closed her eyes, counted to three, and looked back up toward the doctor. "Is this… normal for me?"

He leant down slightly to meet her at eyelevel. His eyes reflected the truth as he spoke, "Miss Kuroko, I am Dr Simon Jacobs and today is the one-thousand and sixteenth day you have spent in Saint Laurence Hospital in America. You went through a successful surgery over two years ago for research in curing your Multiple Sclerosis. Unfortunately, your soul clock was unable to cope with the recovery process and therefore resets at around three a.m. each and every day. As a result, you lose your memories."

"I see." The words tumbled from her mouth. At this point in time, she felt as though nothing could surprise her. "Then, my name is Kuroko?"

The doctor's response was just as blunt, "Yes, that would be Tetsumi Kuroko for you. And you are currently considered an empty shell of who you used to be."

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* * *

PART VI

He supposed it wasn't the first time that Tetsumi had disappeared. However, to be missing for three years without contact was simply astonishing. He refused to believe the worst had happened, and instinctually knew she was still alive – he was absolute after all. It seemed that Aomine and Momoi had yet to hear a word from the shadow as well.

By now, Akashi felt that he had been patient for long enough. He was especially sick of Bakagami pestering him for details of the girl's whereabouts. The man internally snorted. Not even he knew which hospital she was located in. With that thought in mind, he turned around in his desk chair to face his laptop, letting his finger fly over the keyboard as he entered into the search engine; Hospitals researching MS in America.

The first few hits were to do with funding for research and facilities. But as he scrolled further down the webpage, there was no mistaking the link to an article that claimed a certain hospital had undergone a successful surgery in Saint Laurence Hospital. It was a small, three-paragraph article, as the newspaper had been asked for patient confidentiality. Nonetheless, still eye-catching for an Akashi – nothing could slip past him.

Opening a new tab, he simultaneously picked up his office phone and made a few calls. "Hello, this is Akashi. Please clear my schedule for a week, from tomorrow onwards. I will be in America for personal business, and therefore would not like to be contacted during this time."

He paused, listening to the man on the other side of the phone whilst typing in his credentials and booking a one-way ticket to America. As the man kept talking, he was mid-way through booking a return flight for two people in the first class. "What part of clearing my schedule do you not understand? These personal matters override the importance of the meeting with my father. I'm sure he will be able to find another time to speak to me. If you must know, you can tell him that we have already exceeded our annual profits and our stocks are still rising steadily. A week without my command is nothing. If they cannot keep up their efforts, then all the employees ought to be fired. And send a car down to the front of the office. I'm leaving."

Swiftly ending the call he rose from his chair and walked out of his office. Exiting the elevator, his made his way through the lobby, subtly nodding toward those who greeted him. The doorman tipped his cap as he walked out of the building, and a sleek black car pulled up to the curb just as he exited. The timing made him smirk as, if the car were a moment later, he wouldn't be too happy.

He was quickly escorted to his apartment, where he packed a single luggage bag with enough clothes for the week, and a carry-on to bring his electronics and other necessities. His eyes flickered over to a single picture frame that rested on his bedside table. Sighing, he reached over to trace the glass lightly before carefully tucking the frame into his bag. He had a feeling it would come in handy.

The fourteen hour flight from Tokyo to Ohio was spent restlessly searching up directions to the hospital and booking the best hotel room that was closest to the hospital online. He refused to sleep, and kept himself awake with the airplane's low-class coffee.

As soon as he stepped out of the airport in Ohio, he was greeted with sweltering heat of the summer sun. Taking off his blazer, he rolled up his sleeves in attempt to keep as cool as possible. He hailed a taxi due to having no other option, and ignored the state that the car was in, in favour of convincing himself it would be worth it in the end.

The hotel greeted him graciously, handing over his key card and leading him to his room with such efficiency that he had practically no time to tell them to just simply drop his bag off inside. He had planned to head back out straight away to the hospital before the visiting hours closed after all. Pulling out a piece of paper from his pant pocket he skimmed over his scribble and looked up to peer at the street signs for some proper direction. In the afternoon traffic, it would be best to walk over there than call for another taxi.

He walked a few blocks and turned a couple of corners, barely paying mind to the majestic building he was walking into. He'd admit the architecture was admirable for a hospital, but he'd seen much more. The receptionist seemed rather friendly as he approached, glancing up and gracing Akashi with a smile. "Hello, are you here to visit someone?"

"Ah, yes… I was wondering if there was a Tetsumi Kuroko here." He spoke fluently, but could not hide his accent.

"Oh a foreigner?" The woman smiled, typing her name into the system before frowning, "Your English is very good. Now, are you family or friend?"

"Friend."

"I see, well I have to contact the doctor of this research department before I can allow you access to her ward." She dialled a number on the phone and spoke in hushed tones for a minute. Her eyes showed triumph as she placed the phone back onto the receiver at the end of the call, "Okay, Dr Jacobs will lead you to Miss Kuroko if you could just head to your left and take the elevator up to the seventeenth floor. Please keep in mind that visiting hours end at five-thirty. Have a nice day!"

He bowed, "Thank you."

Upon reaching the correct floor, he found a doctor pacing back and forth nervously. He cleared his throat to gain the attention of the – 'physically higher' – man, who in turn, jumped slightly. Turning around, he hastily greet the red-head and gestured for him to follow quietly. Akashi was the tiniest bit confused as to why he was not being lead to a hospital room, but rather away from them in the opposite hallway.

"I'm surprised." The Dr Jacobs began.

"Hmm? Well of course, though with you pacing around like that, I had no choice but to gain your attention." He stated.

Akashi didn't miss the way the doctor rose his eyebrows in amusement. "I suppose. But I didn't mean that exactly. In fact I'm surprised someone has come to visit her after all this time. Am I right to assume you know of the surgery she undertook?"

"Of course; it had a 65% chance of being a success through rewinding her soul clock. And by the way you speak about her, I assume everything went well."

The older man stumbled in his step, hesitant to say his next words. "… Well, not quite."

"Pardon?" Akashi held back the urge to let his expression turn into one of disbelief, and kept it blank.

"You see, you're the first person to visit her in three years. From what I can tell, you were one of the few who happened to know about her MS which must mean you were a close friend and very dear to her. That, and you know about her whereabouts." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "To be honest, the surgery almost failed.

She went into cardiac arrest – twice – and when we managed to pull her back, Tetsumi was still barely there. It took nine hours, but we completed the surgery to the best of our abilities. While she no longer has Multiple Sclerosis, her soul clock malfunctioned and she's been suffering ever since. For the last two years, her clock continues to reset each day."

"Are you saying…"

"Yes, the person you are meeting today is 'Tetsumi Kuroko', but not actually _Tetsumi_ herself. She has anterograde amnesia, but we're hoping it's temporary while we try to find a trigger to cure it. I'm actually very grateful you have come today, as we had no idea how to contact her friends to possibly help. It's been quite a struggle to see her wake up in the morning and just accept that she no longer knows who she was. To see her give up like that… the stress must have really gotten to her body."

Akashi took note of his surroundings. They were now in a rather spacious lounge, with plenty of sofas, books and things to keep people entertained during their stay. "So, is this where she is?" he scanned the room, but could not spot the familiar shade of hair through the small crowd of people.

Dr Jacobs nodded, "Correct, although she on the other side in the smaller lounge. It's much quieter there. When you do happen to approach her, it's best to take it slowly... and speak English, she's had trouble with speaking Japanese language since the surgery."

"We'll see. I plan on taking her back to Japan with me." And with that, he left the doctor and made his way into the other room. Silently agreeing to take the doctor's advice, he decided to speak in English. "Tetsumi, correct?"

She was the only other person in there. This fact did not surprise him, as the Tetsumi he knew had never favoured the use of modern technology. The woman looked up, her expression no different from the one he remembered seeing almost every day back when they were in Teiko. However, he did notice that her eyes lacked the hint of emotion that they used to. Now they were filled with confusion, but mostly emptiness.

"Me?" her voice was a little uncertain and shaky, but her English had definitely improved since he'd last seen _her_. "Are you speaking to me?"

"Yes, you must be Tetsumi Kuroko. Right?"

"So I've been told."

Akashi nodded, "What are you reading?"

"A diary. I think the owner of this had lived a very painful life. But the content is still quite beautiful." She paused, showing the diary to him. It was filled with an array of Japanese characters, telling him that although she'd lost to confidence to speak, reading in Japanese was still an automatic process for her. "O-Oh, I'm sorry, you probably can't read what it says, can you? The doctor told me that this isn't in English, and that I came from Japan."

"I can read fine. I am also of Japanese origin. My name is Seijuurou Akashi."

She blinked. "S-Seijuurou Akashi?" the pale woman flicked through the pages for a moment, finding what she wanted before promptly shoving the diary into his face. "Why're you in this diary?"

He ignored her question, his eyes settling on the date of the entry. It was a week after the Winter Cup, when Seirin won against Rakuzan and he'd called to meet up with her. The day she'd confessed about her MS. He sighed softly, keeping his calm and pushing the diary out of his direct line of sight. "If you come back to Japan with me, you might just find out."

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* * *

PART VII

Kagami flinched in the reflection of the mirror as a tingling sensation shot up his arm. Looking down, he briefly caught sight of his clock flashing. But after a few moments of intense staring, nothing else happened and the simple-minded man just chose to let it go. Getting ready for his three-year anniversary was taking him a lot longer than usual; basically, he had to look perfect. He was now approaching the time in which he should be leaving to pick up his girlfriend, but admittedly was reluctant to go.

Kaigawa was certainly a good person, but he felt as though the connection had recently worn off. And he could tell she wasn't feeling it as much as they had when they first met either. Maybe they were destined as 'soulmates' but not as 'lovers'. He'd heard of this happening before.

Picking up his keys, mobile and wallet, he left his apartment and looked back once at the small photo frame that hung on the wall next to the entrance. He silently wondered if she was ever coming back; her disappearance a mystery to everyone… except for a specific few. But they'd all said the same thing: that they'd promised to never tell.

And Kuroko… she was the kind of enigma no one ever want to defy – even Akashi in certain circumstances would keep his mouth zipped closed. Curious as he was, he also felt betrayed and hurt that Kuroko never even said a thing to him. Weren't they friends?

Locking the door behind him he sighed deeply and made his way to his car. Hopefully; one day she would come back, and explain everything to him. He didn't like the feeling of being left in the dark.

Subconsciously, he'd managed to make his was to Kaigawa's house within 15 minutes, as traffic was surprisingly light. She was already waiting outside for him, and headed toward the car once she saw him arrive. Being the gentleman Kuroko berated him into, he stepped from his driver's seat to open the door for her.

"Thank you." She sounded, "We're we headed?"

"The city, I booked us a place at Kinpaku." He focused on driving, "You look… nice, by the way."

She smiled, though it seemed a little forced, "Thanks, it must have been hard to reserve a seat there. Isn't it expensive?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It doesn't matter, I work for a reason you know."

Kaigawa laughed. "I see, well… I'm flattered."

The conversation fell short, and they rode in silence until they reached the restaurant. Not long after finding parking, they two exited his car and made their way to the entrance with linked arms. As they were there a little early, the restaurant staff were still setting up the tables, and so they had to wait in line.

Soon after being lead to their table, they sat down across from each other and ordered a red wine. The menus were soon brought out, and whilst Kaigawa ordered lobster, Kagami himself ordered a steak. They made small talk – albeit awkwardly until their food arrived. They immediately dug in, secretly grateful for the distraction.

Both very well knew that neither saw each other in a romantic way anymore, but neither found it in themselves to speak up about it. Kagami finished his meal long before his girlfriend did, and after waiting for a few moments, he excused himself for the bathroom. Upon looking at himself in the mirror again, a stinging pain shot arm his arm. Pulling up his sleeve, it began to flash. And each time it blinked, the numbers began to change.

He just couldn't believe it, something like this should be impossible. Why was his clock turning back? Confused, he walked out of the bathroom and back to his table, where Kaigawa was sitting there, her knife and fork on an empty plate. She was looking at her own timer in shock.

When he approached her, she quickly hid her arm and attempted to look less frazzled.

"Are you finished?" he asked. She nodded and he sat back down. "What happened to your arm?" he spoke casually.

"N-Nothing." She whispered, looking around.

"It's impossible isn't it?" he reached over the table to grab her arm and placed his own next to it. "Eh, you've got a minute and a half?!"

He quickly checked his own clock as Kaigawa was looking at him in alarm, "And you've got almost a week left on yours…"

Brushing her off, he let go of her extended arm as both sat in silence, waiting for her clock to tick down once again. She seemed a little uncertain, and constantly kept patting down her hair. "You look fine." Kagami assured. For some reason, he sensed some déjà vu.

She giggled, "Funny, because I wasn't as nervous before when I met you… no offence of course."

"None taken." He began, "In fact, maybe I should leave?"

"No!" she immediately spoke, "I need you for moral support!" she stood up to grab his hands in a plea… but was knocked over in the process.

With an undignified yelp, the two fell to the floor, and the water that the waiter happened to the carrying spilled over her hair and drenched her curls. The man quickly stood up and apologized, and someone else came along to help her up at the same time Kagami did. The other man's eyes brightened as he looked down at Kaigawa, and at the same time, the basketball player could hear her breath hitch.

The unknown man looked in between the two, his smile drooping as he hesitantly asked, "Are you two… dating?"

"No, we're just good friends." Kagami quickly objected. His now 'ex'-girlfriend looked at him gratefully. "Er, I'll take my leave now." He turned to go, placing some odd amount of bills on their table. But before he left, he saw Kaigawa mouth a few words to him… 'Good luck.'

Surprisingly, walking out of those doors alone was nothing embarrassing at all, in fact he even felt a little refreshed. He knew that he and Kaigawa were better off as friends. Checking his forearm once more, he couldn't help but wish Kuroko that was here to support him again like last time.

 _00013D.18H.43M.28S_

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* * *

PART VIII

Kagami woke up groggily, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he rolled from his bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He quickly did his necessities before walking back out to his room again, now feeling a little more awake. He took a glance at the clock on his wall and his eyes widened. Blinking to make sure he wasn't just reading it wrong, he began to get ready at a much faster pace. Running around his room, he picked up some stray articles of clothing before chucking them on after making sure they still smelt decent.

Once done, he grabbed what he needed, along with a nutrition bar on his way out the door. He heaved a sigh of relief the moment he'd started the car; he still had another hour until work started, according to the timetable he had in his car. He must've been thinking of the wrong day. Chewing on the bar as he backed out of the parking spot, he decided that he go stop by Maji Burger for a better 'brunch'. He knew it wasn't healthy, but the bar barely even filled him in the first place. Plus there was nothing to cook with, so he reminded himself to go food shopping later.

He parked at the train station before heading out to the nearest joint around the corner. Upon his arrival, he ordered 15 cheeseburgers, a cola and a medium vanilla milkshake.

Kagami set the flavoured drink down in the seat across from him as he enjoyed the meal in solitude. It had become a habit for him to just buy the drink whilst he waited for Kuroko to arrive in the past. And over the course of the past few years, he still hadn't really shaken off the habit whenever he went to Maji alone. In his mind, he still believed that Kuroko sat across from him, her plump lips twitching slightly as he said something funny.

He mentally sighed. Ever since she'd left, never did a day pass where he wouldn't think about her. She was just in the back of his conscience; every second, of every passing day. He'd never noticed how much he would miss her, not when he was so wrapped up in other things. They used to see each other every day until he began university. But still then, they'd caught up often enough. And now that it'd been a whole three years, he just couldn't help but feel as though he'd screwed up somehow.

Standing up, he left the bistro and walked outside. It was beginning to get cold again, reminding him of how close he and his shadow had become after winning the Winter Cup in their freshmen year. As he walked down the road, a figure turned the corner just as he reached the intersection. He merely stumbled back a couple of steps, but the other person had been knocked over completely.

He figured that it was a young woman – as she was dressed in a pale sundress that was very unfit for the current weather along with a straw hat and a sweat band around her wrist. He quickly stepped over to help her up, but she stood to her feet by herself and rushed off. Kagami was left gaping at her lack of manners – especially when she was the one who rounded to corner so quickly. Heck, he hadn't even heard her footsteps. But he figured that he'd let her off as she seemed to be in a hurry.

For some reason, he couldn't help but feel as though the interaction felt vaguely familiar.

He went to begin walking again, but stopped when he saw something on the ground. A purse.

Kagami picked it up and immediately chased after her, knowing that he'll be able to catch up. Since it had only been the two of them on the path, the purse had to be hers, and it might be an important contribution as to what she was rushing for.

Blood rushed through his veins and his breathing became laboured. But he pushed himself even further when he saw the familiar girl up ahead. She seemed to have stopped and was walking.

Trying to catch her attention, he called out a few times before he was finally within arm's reach. "Oi, kid… you dropped this."

The girl spun around, squinting up at him as the sun pierced her eyes. For once, Kagami ws grateful for his years spent in America, because English was what she spoke.

"Oh, thank you very much." She took the outstretched object and bowed. And although Kagami couldn't identify exact features himself from the shade of her hat, he could tell she was quite flushed from running. "I'm very sorry for bumping into you earlier, but I must go so I…" she trailed off.

"No, it's fine! I get it… sorry for holding you up." he waved her off. The way she spoke was making him feel guilty and embarrassed at the same time. "Just, be careful next time."

"Yes. Thank you again." She bowed once more before entering the building to her right.

Kagami mused to himself – he never thought that teenagers could still be so polite these days. As his heart rate slowed down from the sudden rush of events, he came to realise that he'd completely forgotten about the one thing he'd forced himself out of bed for. Glancing downward at his arm, his heart sped up again.

When had his timer reached zero? Was it whilst he was eating in Maji burger? But then, someone would've approached him. He may be a dense idiot, but he wasn't dumb to complete common sense. There was only one other person around that could've possibly had their timer come to a stop as well. But he never really got a good glimpse of her arm.

Looking up at the building she'd entered, he came to a decision; he'd go in after her. It was only logical – she seemed like the type who didn't care about such things, but he wasn't about to let his supposed new soulmate be without proper love forever. Or maybe he just didn't want to be alone by himself. That, or he wasn't going to lose to Aomine any longer than he had to.

Stepping into the hospital, white-washed walls, disinfectant and other sickening smells immediately engulfed him. Doing his best to ignore it, he walked up to the receptionist. "Excuse me, ma'am. Did a girl in a dress and hat walk in here just moments ago?"

"Yes why?" the lady sounded cold, as if she didn't want to be sitting there right at that moment.

"Can you tell me where she is?"

"Are you related?" she shot back.

He was stumped at that, how was he supposed to answer. He leaned forward a little more, "Ma'am, she might just be my soulmate… can you just let me through? I'm sure you know what it was like to meet yours…"

She scowled, "Sorry, I don't know how it feels. Now hustle off before I ask security to kick you out? Are you even aware of the hospital you're in?"

Once again, he was at a loss for words. He gulped, "No?" he cursed himself for sounding so unsure.

She rolled her eyes, "This is a rehab clinic. Visitors are not allowed unless consented by the patient – it's a violation of personal privacy otherwise." As she said this, her eyes flicked to a movement from behind him, and he turned around.

Facing the receptionist once more, "Never mind, I'll take my leave now." Leaving the hospital, he was suddenly on the chase again, since the girl had suddenly disappeared. Although, he wasn't sure if it was a young girl anymore if he was her soulmate. She must be at least out of high school then as soulmates were never born more than four years apart.

He had no idea why, but the urge to call out. "KUROKO!" he stopped running, shocked at what he'd just said. Of all things to yell, why did he call that name?

"…Yes? May I ask how you know my name, sir?"

"Argh!" he yelped, pulling back a little. But when recognition finally rung in his mind, his whole world just… stopped.

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* * *

 _And... that's it. Again, I might leave it here for you to come up with your own ending, or I might make this into a three-shot and settle it there._

 _If that happens, the last chapter might not end up being this long, as 5k words is quite a lot to type (and I'm super tired now!)_

 _ **Thank you for your wonderful reviews;  
~ skylarraeyes ~ SilverWhiteDragon ~ HyperAmes ~ a-san ~ relicchi ~ Miyuna-chan ~ GurlyOtaku27 ~**_

 _ **And to those who favourited and followed;  
~ Baylee1100 ~ DMCP ~ GurlyOtaku27 ~ Lenalee Kudo ~ Mia Heartnet ~ Miyuna-chan ~ Otaku Psychopaths Unite ~ Poosa-ard ~ Zyrothe ~ hernanrutchel ~ skylarraeyes ~ twirlgirl4life1 ~ Aglio - Saggezza ~ Distelherz ~ SpareTheInsane ~ haha19 ~ jessbithao09 ~**_

 _ **And finally, thank you to Story of Kuroko-hime for adding 'Miscalculation' to the community of Fem!Kuroko stories.**_

' _Til next time,  
Anon._


	3. Reset

_Disclaimer: I do not own KuroBasu, and this work is a piece of FICTION; therefore stating that not all facts in this story are real/possible in the non-fiction realm. Warnings from previous chapters apply._

 _ ***IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL READERS***_

 _ **I have decided this shall be the final chapter (I ended up writing quite a bit anyway), and I will decide later on whether or not I also want to post an Epilogue at a later date.**_

 _ **I have also created a poll where you may vote for the next type of story (all KnB choices) that I may pursue to write after the epilogue is completed. Therefore, I would really appreciate that you visit my profile and vote for a story.**_

 _If you took the time to read the notice, thank you.  
Enjoy~_

* * *

 **RESET**

PART IX

"Akashi, is it true that she's back? That Kuroko came back?" Momoi slammed her hands down onto his desk in an act of desperation. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Aomine stood behind her with his arms crossed. His face was set into a frown, but his air of arrogance had disappeared the moment the pair had entered the room – he was worried too after all. The peach-haired woman leaned further across the desk, "Tell me! I have the right to know!"

The heir sighed, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. He folded his hands in front of him, sitting up straighter as if handing out a business deal on a silver platter. "Perhaps, you should sit down first." He stated calmly, gesturing to the seats on the other side of his desk.

Subtly nodding to the man in black whom was standing at the door. The supposed 'guard' left the room, the door clicking shut behind him signalling the beginning a long, impending silence.

The two guests attempted to settle down into the cushioned seats, fidgeting nervously. No doubt that Akashi's words were hinting that he didn't have positive news to share. Momoi bit her lip, drawing blood. Their ex-captain had always been hard to read, but the flicker in his eyes had told her enough. Her voice caught in her throat, holding back a sob as she quietly asked, "T-Tetsumi isn't alive, is she?"

Aomine's eyes widened as he stood up, shaking his girlfriend by the shoulders, "What the…? Satsuki, don't kid around like that! Tetsu is alive, I tell you! Can't you feel it? She's not dead."

"Feel what, Daiki? All I've felt is guilt and an unbelievable amount of pain! But I have no right to say such things! Why? Because Tetsumi had it so much worse! I can imagine her lying on the hospital bed, all alone and forgotten. I can imagine her trying to lift a spoon to her mouth, trying to feed herself, only to be spook-fed by a nurse instead! I can see her apologising to everyone in her final moments like she's at fault for everything! It's haunting me, Daiki, that she was alone in her final moments!" By then, she'd pushed Aomine's hands away and was shouting to his face.

"Satsuki…" He spoke, obviously shocked.

She sniffled, rubbing the tears away with her sleeve. "And do you know what the worst thing was? She was alone throughout the whole process! I-I don't know the full story but; her timer had reached zero such a long time ago, but she didn't have a soulmate."

Akashi blinked, having heard this news only for the first time. "What are you implying?"

"For the surgery, her clock had to be at zero. She told me – and I remember the look in her eyes as she did – that she was alone in her room when it happened." She breathed out slowly, "But that's only what she told me. I can tell she's hiding the actual story from me, but I decided to never look any deeper into it." She clenched her fists by her sides, gazing at the ground in a somewhat shameful manner.

The red-head rubbed at his temples, slightly angry at himself for never noticing this years ago. However, the only times his could recall losing touch with her would be before Teikō and the months between the end of Junior High and the finals of the Winter Cup. The first option was impossible as he remembered seeing her timer ticking away in their first year.

His eyes snapped open in realisation, keeping his thoughts to himself for the moment. As he studied Momoi and Aomine's expressions. He couldn't have the two go on a rampage directed at the stupid tiger-boy could he? After all, it was their soul clocks that had supposedly malfunctioned – and that was something that was even out of his control.

No matter how much he wanted to 'confront' Kagami, he supposed it would be best to wait it out until he met with the teal-haired girl once more. Looking up, he noticed the other two were looking at him again. Gesturing to sit back down, he breathed out – rather shakily – he would admit. An Akashi was never nervous, but for some odd reason, he was in this situation.

"I will tell you now, that Kuroko is indeed alive and healthy." He paused, hearing the sharp intake of breath. "However, do either of you, have an idea as to what anterograde amnesia might be?"

Momoi's hands flew up to cover her mouth, concealing a gasp. "Are you saying that… Kuroko can't create new memories?"

The Emperor nodded slightly, "Since she was the first 'patient' to the research, the outcomes were impossible to identify. Although Kuroko is alive, she's suffering from both anterograde and retrograde amnesia. The anterograde side of it was easily recognised; her soul clock resets itself each morning at around three. She loses everything after twenty-four hours."

"So Tetsu is empty?" Aomine's words could not describe the teal-haired girl's situation any better, and Akashi simply nodded. The tanned boy scowled, "You're telling me, that Tetsu has _no_ memories? No recollection of us or who we are, no idea who she is each and every morning when she wakes up?"

"Correct. However, I have reason to believe that bringing her back to Japan will help with her recovery. Dr Jacobs in America was adamant about her amnesia only being temporary. I can only presume that someone with her condition would feel as though they were trapped in an empty room of blank walls." He exhaled, "But she's been holding up quite well. I've never heard her cry or complain."

"Are you telling us that this whole time – ever since you came back, you've been looking after Kuroko?" The tallest in the room stood up once more, his tone incredulous.

Akashi's eyebrow quirked slightly, "Of course, who else could she stay with? Her parents have entrusted her to me. They were quite unstable when I called them; they even deemed themselves as unfit to accommodate to her 'special needs'."

"Right, well they've always been rather business orientated. Kuroko had continuously been the one to care for herself until she met us." Momoi nodded sullenly, though she was taking all of the information in rather calmly.

Aomine though – he was different. "She's been in Japan for two weeks and you _never_ thought to tell us?!"

"You're getting too hot headed, Daiki." The red-head stated blatantly. As usual, his firm, sharp tone was enough to shut the other up.

"Yes, calm down…" Momoi tugged on her soulmate's sleeve, "Tetsumi would be quite overwhelmed if we suddenly visited and barraged her with questions, when Akashi hadn't had the time to explain her condition to us. If you think about it, she wakes up every day not every knowing her own name. How would she feel if we imposed and claimed that we were friends?"

The man huffed, "When will we get to see her?"

"Tonight. I told her that some guests were coming over for dinner this morning whilst reminding her of her check-up at the rehab hospital."

"Is anyone else going to be there?"

Akashi faintly smirked, "Who knows?"

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* * *

PART X

"K-Kuroko?" Kagami found himself voicing the name again – just to make sure his eyes weren't failing him. But she was definitely there; standing gloriously in her ghost-like appearance that simply defined Tetsumi as… well, Tetsumi. Of course, her hair was much longer, and her body seemed much healthier in comparison to when he last saw her.

He might be an idiot at times, but he wasn't blind. He always noticed how she struggled to breathe, or walk properly for a fair distance. He always noticed how easy it was for her to tire. But being the rash man he was, he felt all his worries turn into anger as he faced the shorter girl.

"Where have you been this whole time?! You left without telling me anything, your cell phone number was blocked, and the others – who obviously knew _something_ were protecting you like it'd cost them their life or something!" He fumed, "Now tell me, why the heck; did you leave?"

Kuroko only blinked, her expression blank as usual. "Sir? Are you okay? You don't seem too pleased with my presence. Should I… go?"

"What? No! You finally reappear and you're just going to leave again?" Kagami took a step closer the other girl stepped back, keeping a fair distance between them. Her expression was practically unreadable, but years of experience told him that she was clearly confused with the turn of events. His anger simmered down as he called out her name softly, "Tetsumi?"

"Yes, that is my name." She nodded, "Have we met before?"

The fiery tiger froze, observing her intently. He let out a small chuckle. "H-Hey now, you're joking right? Did I do something wrong? Did I anger you or sadden you to the point you have to pretend we've never spoken before?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't mess with me like that! You can't just up and leave for three years without even saying good bye!" He glared sharply, yelling loudly – having forgotten they were in a public area. He was lucky though, as no one else was around to witness their interaction.

Empty eyes stared straight back into his as she repeated her words; this time with mild frustration building in her tone. "I said, I have no idea of what you're talking about."

"Stop lying!" he hissed.

"Then please don't be so rude as to accuse me of such things, Sir." Gripping the straps of her handbag tighter, she swiftly turned and left, blindly walking away as fast as her legs could take her. Her eyes prickled, filling with salty tears, but she quickly wiped them away.

Kagami watched as she left, uncertain. He wanted to run after her and apologize, but at the same time, his pride kept him at a standstill – telling him it was Kuroko's fault, not his. As she disappeared around the corner, his gut twisted as instinct told him something was off; as in, the woman really wasn't lying. But that was impossible, Kuroko had never broken a promise and she'd promised not to forget.

His thoughts were completely jumbled as he walked away, taking slow steps even though he was probably late to work at this point, but he didn't even care. The feeling of his phone vibrating in his pocket shook him out of his trance and he quickly went to pick it up. Even if he barely cared for the fact he wasn't working – he did care if he happened to lose his only source of income.

The conversation ended shortly after he made up some lame excuse as to why he wasn't working his shift. He was told to take the rest of the day off whilst his boss covered for him. For that, he was grateful. He went to place his phone back into his pocket, but stopped short as he caught sight of his soul clock.

 _00000D.00H.00M.00S_

That's right… the whole reason he'd chased after Kuroko was because his timer had finally reached zero for the second time. Blinking slowly, he suddenly turned around to face the direction that Kuroko had left in. Immediately feeling guilty for lashing out – and partly because he was an idiot – he began sprinting after her.

The more he thought about it; he wasn't actually angry. His anger was simply a misinterpretation on his behalf. He just needed to release all of the pent up worry, and seeing Kuroko again was the final straw. She just had to be his soulmate! There was no one else around and all the puzzle pieces just seemed to connect.

She was his shadow, and he, her light.

The whole time, she was by his side – through thick and thin. It made him sick to the stomach to think that he never asked her what was wrong even though he noticed her struggle, or how many times he wasn't there for her when she needed him most. It was sickening to think of all the things that could have happened to her over the three years she was gone, and how he had just let her go again…

Pumping his legs, he pushed harder. Kuroko couldn't have made it that far anyway. "KU-RO-KOOOOO!" he called, having high hopes that she'd hear him. He kept up his pace for only a little longer and continued to call out her name, before slowing down and finally taking note of his surroundings.

Most people simply walked around him, although some openly stared, gazing at him with irritation for causing such a disruption on the street. Mumbling apologies, he ran a hand through his hair and jogged up the stairs to the train station. Upon reaching the closest platform, the doors to the train were already closing, a voice announcing through a speaker phone that the Nozomi service train to Kyoto was departing.

His eyes widened as he caught sight of teal hair – facing away from the window. But Kagami would never mistake her for someone else. He stood helplessly as the train pulled away from the platform, gaining speed as Kuroko left his sights again.

Tearing himself away from the train already far in the distance, he sped-walked to the ticket booth, tapping rapidly on the window to gain the man's attention. "Excuse me, could I please have a ticket for the next train to Kyoto?"

"Of course. Did you just miss the other one?" The man cheerily started up the conversation as he scanned a ticket through to be processed. Kagami simply nodded and the man sent him a look of pity. "That's too bad… the next train doesn't leave for another hour. And it's a Kodama service, stopping all stations. You won't get there until about five-thirty."

The red-head groaned, slumping in defeat before taking the ticket anyway. "I suppose it won't hurt to try anyway."

The other man laughed heartily, oblivious to Kagami's distress. "How diligent. Well then, if you're sure, that'll be 13,500 yen."

Fishing out the money, Kagami slid it over to the ticket seller with a slight wince – seeing a day's worth of pay simply just disappear. His wallet was now considerably lighter as well. Taking his ticket, scowled at the time printed on it. He wouldn't get to Kyoto for another five hours!

Pulling out his phone, he decided to let go of his pride for just a moment, dialling a number he'd never thought he would dial for help.

" _What do you want, Bakagami?"_ an annoyed voice picked up. He could just imagine Aomine with a glowering expression on the other end of the line.

Kagami sighed miserably, "I fucked up. Like, really fucked up."

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* * *

PART XI

The door closed quietly behind the couple as they entered the condo, taking off their shoes in the genkan and swapping them for the guest slippers. Momoi held a small gift bag in her hands, an anxious expression openly showing on her face. Aomine gently rubbed her back in attempt to calm her down a little.

"Welcome. Kuroko is waiting in the kitchen. In fact, she was the one to cook dinner for us tonight." Akashi started off smoothly, holding out his arm to guide them toward his kitchen and dining area. The other two nodded silently and followed.

The peach-haired girl bit her lip to stop it from quivering, as a familiar sight came into her view. Not much had changed – of course, there were the minor changes to her physical appearance. But other than that, she was still the same Kuroko to her… at least on the outside.

She remembered what they had discussed earlier in Akashi's office. "H-Hello." She greeted, "I'm Momoi Satsuki. This is my soulmate, Aomine Daiki." The latter half of her gave Kuroko a small salute.

"You must be Akashi-kun's friends." She stumbled over her words a little, "Sorry, I'm still trying to get used to the Japanese language."

"That's perfectly fine!" Momoi waved her hands, forcing a laugh. "I understand."

"Thank you." Kuroko's empty eyes clouded over slightly as she finally turned to face them properly, "H-Have we possibly met before? You seem familiar." Her head was cocked to the side, and she repeated their names in a whisper-like mantra to herself.

Aomine held his breath, his hopes raising. Akashi had said that Kuroko could vaguely remember some things about him the more time they spent together. Apparently Kuroko also had an old diary of hers that she'd written in, so she was beginning to remember a little more the further she was able to connect dots.

It wasn't enough to show a full recovery, but there was an inkling of hope. Their ex-captain had also debriefed them that they had to tread lightly. Some of the memories that affected her most may not come back; but small, yet memorable moment might just trigger something.

"Aomine-kun and Satsuki-san… was it?" Kuroko, who had been flipping through the diary, snapped it shut and gently placed it onto the kitchen bench. She shook her head forlornly, "I'm sorry… even though we must have spent so many years together…" she trailed off.

Momoi caught on immediately and she jumped forward to comfort the girl. "It's okay! You don't have to force yourself to remember. Just like with Akashi-kun, I'm sure that the more time you spend will us, the more familiar the past may get." She smiled as Kuroko nodded. "Well then, shall we eat? Whatever you've cooked, it smells delicious!"

With that, the group of four settled around the dining table where Kuroko had already set the table. The meal was quickly devoured, as the teal-haired girl quietly asked questions about Aomine and Momoi's life – even making a small joke about when Aomine would get the courage to pop the 'question'. They'd been officially together for almost ten years after all, much to Kuroko's amusement. However, this conversation lead toward something a little deeper, as Kuroko innocently turned toward Akashi.

"Then Akashi-kun, what about your soulmate?" She asked. The two guests straightened in their seat, also quite curious. Especially as Akashi gave them a tight-lipped smile. Obviously it was something he would rather not discuss, but for Kuroko's benefit, he may as well come out with it.

"I have known who my other half is for quite a while, if that's what you're asking."

"EH?!" Aomine exploded, having never realised this. "Since when?"

Akashi sighed – something he found himself doing a lot of lately. "I would prefer not to answer that. But if you must know, we are currently not on speaking terms."

"Huh? Why? Did you piss them off or something?" Aomine held back a snicker.

"Well, if you'd really like to think of it that way. But I suppose it's more because of the fact that he's having trouble accepting his sexuality." He shrugged.

"That make sense then." The blunette boy nodded knowingly, and then froze, "Wait... what?"

"It'll be fine, I'm sure – whoever he may be – that he'll come around." Kuroko said softly, sharing a rare smile. "Allegedly, the connection is very hard to deny. Akashi-kun will get his chance at love in the end."

The table fell silent as the three watched the young woman closely. Even though she obviously didn't remember, it was slightly painful seeing her wish someone else well, when she didn't even get her own happy ending. "What about you, Kuroko? Don't you wish for your chance at love?" Momoi couldn't help but ask.

The girl in question shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Her hand reached down to grasp around the sweatband on her left wrist. Her eyes reflected confusion as she spoke slowly. "To be honest, with my condition… I don't expect anything special for me. I'm happy enough to have met the three of you, but surely I'm already a burden enough."

Akashi was quiet as the other two were quick to object, "That's not true! You'd never be a burden, especially since we troubled you so much in the past."

"So… you're just returning the favour?" Kuroko's eyebrows drew together in the slightest frown.

The other woman reached over to grasp Kuroko's hands in hers. She shook her head fervently in reply. "No, we'd never think of it like that." She pulled her closer, encasing her into a hug as she started sobbing, " _I've missed you so much, and you've been so strong!_ I could never abandon you like that!"

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* * *

PART XII [Kuroko's POV]

… She missed me? I was strong? Those words, they were so familiar; filled with emotion.

 **.**

 _I had stacked one last box – the very last one, making sure it was sealed shut before lifting the pile up. I had hurried out of my room, with the three boxes to meet a few men who were standing around the back of an open truck, waiting patiently for me as I handed the cardboard boxes to one of them. I thanked them as they all climbed into the front of the truck and started the engine._

 _I had waited until they'd disappeared around the corner before heading back up to my shared apartment, where I hesitated from a few steps away. Momoi's menacing aura was seeping through the confinements of the apartment door, aimed directly at me. The apartment was now partially bare, with a certain pink-haired woman standing in the hallway._

" _Y-Yes? Satsuki?" I had asked, a bit nervously._

 _She was wearing a white blouse and pencil skirt – presumably going to work. Her arms were crossed, emphasising her already well-endowed assets. She was glaring down at me, making me want to curl into a ball. "You!" she had jabbed a finger at me, "You haven't told him yet! You're leaving tonight!"_

" _Okay, I'll call him now to meet up with him…"_

" _Good, good. Make sure he actually knows why you're going. You've known him for 5 years; don't keep him in the dark. He's your 'light' after all." Her voice had wavered at the end. She threw herself upon me, squeezing me tightly that I wasn't able to breathe. "I-I…" she was sobbing by now, ruining her makeup, "_ I'm going to miss you so much. But you're strong _. You'll make it; I'm sure."_

 **.**

What was this? Something from my past?

"I'm sorry." I found myself saying, "I'm so sorry Satsuki-san… for making you wait this long." My arms instinctively reached up to pull her closer. She was so warm. I tried to snuggle closer, maybe I would remember something else if I just kept her close.

Everything is so cloudy, so blurry in my mind. But her warmth is spreading to me, it's so soothing. But I'm still so confused. Is this what it feels like to be happy and sad at the same time? Is this what it is like to feel loved? My eyes are stinging again… just like at the train station… but there's something wet flowing down my cheeks; is this what crying is?

"Satsuki-san." I said her name again – just in case I was dreaming. "I remember you, Satsuki-san."

"Yes Tet-chan, it's me." She hugged me tighter if possible, before pulling away. We both had tears streaming down our faces. She began wiping hers away, a smile taking its place.

Aomine stood there, his mouth gaping. "No way, you actually managed to remember?"

I nodded my head, also wiping the stream of tears away with the back of my sleeve. "I'm back… I mean, there was the diary to supposedly help me – but it was still all so unclear. And I don't remember everything yet. But somehow, I still feel like part of me is back."

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* * *

FINAL

Kagami was exhausted – but he refused to give up. He'd gotten lost a few times, and by now it was already ten in the evening. After the lengthy phone call with Aomine, he'd been briefly informed of Kuroko's disappearance and was sent the address of Akashi's apartment in Kyoto. Aomine's exact words had been: _'Kuroko left for America. She had to have an operation since she was diagnosed with MS back in middle school. The operation was successful, but Tetsu, she… lost her memories.'_

Since then, he'd felt an aching pain in his chest. Of course, it'd been there before, but the feeling was stronger when he'd finally been informed of the past three years. He'd been shocked – even yelled at Aomine for an hour before abruptly ending the call. He spent most of the train ride to Kyoto sulking, and coming to terms with the situation. He was angry at himself, even more so now that he'd lashed out at Kuroko despite that fact she really _didn't_ remember him.

He suddenly remembered how upset Kuroko seemed the day he saw her last. How she was seemingly nervous. And maybe, if he had just asked her what was wrong… he might've been able to stop her from leaving. That she wouldn't have forgotten.

He'd been such an ass! His last words weren't even a proper goodbye – he was too focused on Kaigawa back then he failed to notice Kuroko's sadness. He failed to run after her the moment it started raining when she walk out of Maji Burger's doors. He failed in being her best friend – the light she relied on to reassure her existence.

But it was too late. What had been done was done. And that was exactly why he stood in front of the apartment belonging to Akashi. He knocked rapidly, waiting impatiently for someone to come along an open the door. He heard someone approach the door and he stepped back a little, anticipating for the door to open.

"Aomine-kun? I though Akashi messaged you to say I'd be bringing your jacket by tomorr-" The soft, sweet voice stopped short as the teal-haired woman paused to take a better look at the man before her. "Y-you're…?"

"Tetsumi." He breathed out her name.

She shrunk back a little, "Why're you here? H-how did you even know…?"

Kagami stepped forward, reaching out to carefully place a hand on her shoulder. The connection was almost insane. Numbness spread from his fingertips all the way through his body, and he looked directly into her eyes. Under his gaze, he could feel Kuroko shiver as he whispered her name once more. "Tetsumi…" he whispered, pulling even closer when Kuroko didn't push him away. "I… you… soulmates…"

"We're… what?" She was just as quiet, her whispers like the tiniest of breezes brushing past his cheek.

"Oh kami," he slightly growled, lowering his head, "I'm sorry but... I love you too much."

It was then, as their lips pressed together, that Kagami couldn't imagine anyone else to be in his arms.

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 **[ OWARI ]**

 **お わ り** 。

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 _And… that's the end! I know the quality of the chapter isn't great and the ending is pretty rushed… but it was super hard to wrap up the story when this wasn't planned for! I tried to give you guys your happy ending, but remember this was originally supposed to be a one-shot!_ x_x

PLEASE REMEMBER to vote through the poll on my profile. I know I'm just a beginner, I need to write more to get better!

Also;  
Happy New Year and best of luck in 2016!

 _-Anon_


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